January Thaw
by llLethell
Summary: Spoilers for the new season. Tom shows up drunk in the morgue the night after Molly breaks up with him and it is Sherlock who comes to her rescue.


**I am by no means the best Sherlolly writer but I hope someone enjoys this anyway! After seeing the first two episodes I just couldn't resist. **

**Also, I don't own BBC Sherlock. If I did, I would have made the kiss longer ;)**

**This takes place 2 months after The Empty Hearse, coincidentally in January as per the title. So ya, we will just pretend Tom disappears into the ether after this.**

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Molly worked in subdued silence, staring halfheartedly at the tissue sample under the microscope. Another sigh fled her lips and she leaned backward to look sadly into space, eventually bringing her eyes to her left hand. There was not even a tan mark on her finger where the engagement ring had been. A deep well of guilt lay inside her chest for ending things with Tom, made worse by the amount of relief that came with it. He had looked so stunned. Molly closed her dark eyes upon remembering the hurt in Tom's last night. She'd apologized to him, unable to stop saying, 'I'm so sorry,' until she could not take his staring and left his flat, leaving her ring behind.

"Stupid," she whispered to herself, weaving her thin fingers through her messy ponytail. She just had to focus on work and stop thinking about Tom, she told herself. But as she glanced at the microscope the will to work completely drained from her and she put down the ball point she was holding on her desk. She let her lashes descend for a moment before deciding a walk was just what she needed. Lost in her pity, Molly did not notice a figure at the door until she began to walk forward. The sight of someone standing just outside her vision made her jump and whip her gaze upward, then her heart dropped and she automatically rolled to a stop.

"Tom," she greeted in a small voice.

His light eyes were bloodshot and he was swaying where he stood, staring at her in a way that made Molly's heart break anew. "Why did you do it, Molly?" he asked her.

Unable to stop her lip from quivering she whispered, "You're drunk."

"Why?" he repeated, his voice louder. "We love each other."

Molly forced herself to face him as he advanced because she felt she owed him so much. "I told you, Tom," she said though her voice was strained. "It's not fair to you, I- I can't do this." Sherlock's face swam behind her eyes to prove her point.

"But why?" he asked, now right in front of her. Tears were brimming in his eyes and the pathologist smelled the alcohol on his breath which made her stomach turn even more than it was already. "I thought you loved me."

She did, that was the problem. But not more than Sherlock- never more than him. However she could not say that for fear of hurting Tom more. "I thought I did too. Tom, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

"What does that mean?" he demanded in sudden anger, startling Molly with his vehemence.

"It just- it's not fair. To you. Or me. D-don't you see?" she asked desperately, faltering when no comprehension shone in his eyes. "I can't love you like you love me."

Immediately his eyes softened. "But I don't care," he said, failing an attempt at a smile. "I love you. I'll love you no matter what you feel for me, Molly."

"It's wrong, Tom," she insisted quietly, drawing her arms across her chest.

Tom's double chin wrinkled as his lips pressed together, an effort to hold back a sob she was sure. "But you're the best thing that's ever happened to me-"

"-I'm not th-"

"-Molly, I love you," he said, gently grabbing her arms like she was precious. "Won't you give me a chance?"

Molly wanted to cry. Tears were on her breath as she replied, "I can't." Tom blinked at her and in the silence she pulled away only for the dark haired man to hold on to one arm.

"But you have to," he argued, keeping his grip firm.

She didn't like this. His eyes were more clouded than she had ever seen and Molly could only see his desperation, none of the kindness Tom always possessed. "You're scaring me," Molly told him. Sherlock never scared her.

Tom's large eyes widened "No, no, don't be scared of me, Molly," he said alarmed, reaching for her other arm. But Molly moved back to avoid him.

Gathering her courage she spoke in the strongest tone she could muster, "Let me go."

"No," he said and shook his head, holding a hand in front of his heart. "I can't let you go."

_Breathe, Molly_, the pathologist said to herself. She shut her lips and took shallow breaths through her nose. "Tom, you aren't yourself, just- just let go of my arm."

The change in Tom was quick as lightning and took Molly quite off guard. "Why won't you listen to me?" he yelled hysterically, spittle and tears flying into the pathologist's face. He squeezed his fingers together and seized Molly's other arm, not easing his tight grip. "Molly, why?"

"You're hurting me," she said more to herself than Tom, disbelief making her voice light. His fingers started to feel like iron bands, their tips digging into her flesh."Tom, you-"

"_You're_ hurting me!" he roared, giving her a shake. "You're hurting _me, _Molly!"

The tears that had been threatening to make their appearance all day erupted now. "Tom!" she cried, stumbling closer to him to try and ease the vice grip he had on her arms. So tight was his hold that it felt like her bones would break. "Stop it, please!"

Tom shook his head, not realizing his strength. "Why are you doing this to me?" he shouted tearfully, squeezing even harder.

A high shout burst from her lips, echoing through the mortuary and she recoiled but with no escape her foot shot out on its own and hit Tom in the shin. He yelled out and flung her away on reflex. Molly felt her heart jump as she fell and she hit the ground hard, crying out when her weight fell upon her wrist. It collapsed in less than a second, her elbow and head then rebounding off the ground. She collided into a stool and sent it rolling across the room to tip over halfway there. Tom's footsteps chased after her and she cringed up, looking up at him in fear, trying to drag herself backward and extending a defensive hand forward. Molly was trapped, the high desk caged her in from the side and Tom was in front of her. She was crying in earnest now and tried to speak. "-Sorry, I'm sorry. I'm sorry!"

Tom stopped and stared like he had seen a ghost, gaping at her with a horrified expression. They stared at each other with Molly's quiet sobs and apologies echoing through the morgue.

"Oh, God, Molly," he croaked, clasping a hand over his mouth and looking more like the Tom she had fallen for. He took a step forward but stopped when she involuntarily flinched. "Oh, God." If she was not so hurt and shocked she might have made a joke about them both crying like babies but she was too busy trying to control her breathing. "Molly I- Oh, I'm sorry, so sorry. I didn't-" He grew too panicked to talk more and his rising anxiety scared Molly more than she was.

With a sharp intake of breath, Tom realized that too. His face had lost its drunken flush and he backed away slowly at first. After two steps he turned and ran, staggering out of the morgue and leaving Molly alone on the ground. The silence rang in her ears as she blinked at the wall in front of her, holding her wrist lightly with her other hand. She sobbed for few long moments and she did not move, just cried with tears flooding down her cheeks.

She did this. She made him do this. Tom had always been so mild mannered and kind, and then she had to go and stomp on his heart. It was all her fault.

_Don't be stupid, Molly,_ she berated herself but the thought had already been planted and she could not shake it no matter how hard she tried. If only that blasted ringing would stop. But it persisted, high pitched and painful. It was then Molly remembered she hit her head but reasoned that the ringing was a good sign. Better than feeling nothing at all and then slipping into a coma later she reminded herself with a distance that was slightly worrying. Sherlock might have been proud.

Sherlock.

Molly blinked, thinking that it was her imagination hearing his voice coming down the hall. But it was getting louder and calling her name. "Oh no," she breathed just as the door sprung open.

"Molly!" Sherlock called excitedly and loudly, "I need a slight favour! Molly?" The silver eyed detective could not see her from where he stood by the door and being behind the desk as she was.

_Go away, please go away,_ Molly wished desperately. She didn't want him to see her like this, anyone but Sherlock.

"Molly are you- Molly!"

It was a vain hope to be sure. He had spotted the tipped over stool and she could hear his footsteps run forward. They clapped loudly on the linoleum floor but stopped as soon as Sherlock passed the desk. Molly sighed and blinked the last tears out of her eyelashes before she looked up at him. She hardly had time to do even that before he was kneeling beside her and calling her name with worry laced in his deep voice.

"Molly what happened?" he demanded, his tone as cold as ice. He placed a cool hand on her cheek, gently coaxing her head up when she looked away.

She noticed she was not scared of him, even though he looked far more dangerous than Tom just now as he was brushing away her tears.

"Sherlock," she managed before he overrode her, grabbing her injured wrist and holding it for her.

It was her left hand and his eyes lingered there before speaking. "Tom did this," he stated, looking into her eyes.

Molly couldn't hold his gaze and looked down, unable to bury a sniff. "Y-you didn't bother showing off," she said, trying to smile. Her voice was shaky, and her lips brushed against the skin of Sherlock's hand.

His eyebrows pulled together, looking confused and sad. "Molly, this isn't your fault," he told her, anger seeping into his tone. Not meant for her she knew.

"He didn't mean it," Molly whispered, "he-"

"-hurt you," Sherlock interrupted, "he hurt you." The detective sounded like he could hardly believe it himself. He removed the hand on her cheek to close gently around her fingers.

He was right. She could not feel the break in her hand yet, but her elbow smarted something fierce. And while the ringing in her head dulled, it was starting to throb. "I hit my head," Molly said, finally coming to look at him again. Her gaze drifted to his lips where she noticed they had thinned and then back to his distracted eyes that were shadowed by his furrowed brow. "Sherlock?"

He blinked his eyes rapidly before clearing his face of expression. "I'm sorry, Molly," he said clinically, "come on." Gently he brought a hand up her arm to help her up, but crossed over where Tom had clutched her.

"Ow," she breathed and winced.

Sherlock drew his hand away from her upper arm as if burned. His jaw clenched tightly but he grabbed her under the arm pits and lifted her from the floor. Molly felt her head swim and Sherlock steady her with his arm braced across her back. She looked up at him then gave a little smile, her heart swelling.

"Thank you," Molly said.

The detective affected a brief smile for her and held her left wrist once more, ready to lead her downstairs to a doctor. They could have been starting a dance Molly thought as she stepped forward. Sherlock's keen eyes watched her every movement as she began walking but he was still the first one to notice a disturbance at the door. It crashed open and Molly looked to see Tom stumble inside. Her stomach squirmed and her shoulders tensed while the fingers of her good hand closed around the back of Sherlock's coat.

She was speechless as Tom gasped out, "Molly. Molly, I'm so sorry. I- I don't- I came-" He stepped forward only to stop abruptly, eyes flying to the consulting detective. Sherlock increased his presence with the tightening of his core and lowering his shoulders- every line on his body poised with threat.

"Leave," Sherlock growled, his voice low and lips curled with the beginnings of a snarl. He pressed Molly closer to himself, an act that comforted her despite the harmless expression on Tom's face. She glanced up at Sherlock to see ice in his eyes. They were calculating and dangerous, and it briefly occurred to Molly that it looked like he was plotting ways to kill her ex fiancee.

Tom only blinked, swallowing fearfully but looking back to Molly to see what she wanted. "Please leave," she told him.

Tom looked defeated as he slumped his shoulders and bowed his head, shame and guilt written on his face. His eyes were on Molly as he stepped back nodding. With a last sorrowful glance, Tom turned around and left in defeat.

"England," Sherlock added on coldly just before the door closed behind him.

"Sherlock," she reprimanded halfheartedly. She couldn't make Tom leave his family. But the wrist that Sherlock was supporting was starting to hurt which lent to the grudging smile on her lips.

"It's for his own safety, Molly," he reported briskly, leading her on once more. She did not believe he cared for Tom's safety one bit, quite the opposite actually. But because she did not have the energy now she stored an argument away for later.

"...thank you, Sherlock," she said as they made their slow pace out the door.

"Whatever for?"

Molly did not have a reply right away so she only shrugged her shoulders. Sherlock kept his silence as well, though she felt the weight of his stare. They were both quiet until Sherlock got her to a doctor and started to boss around the man, telling him how to do his job. Molly didn't mind, however the doctor did. Luckily he was a patient man and took Sherlock's orders in stride despite quite a few glares. Within two hours they were in a taxi, armed with painkillers for Molly's broken wrist and mild concussion.

"Will you stay with me?" Molly asked with her eyes closed, a thin defence against the passing lights outside the window.

Sherlock's arm was around her shoulders as he allowed himself to be used as a post. "Yes of course," he said, his voice vibrating in his chest, ceasing his rant about the doctor. Molly smiled in thanks and drifted in and out of sleep until the cab stopped. When they got out it was clear why he opted for silence- 221B Baker street awaited their entrance.

"Oh, Sherlock, I can't impose like this," Molly said, wondering how she had not heard their destination before.

The detective led her forward with his arm still secured around her shoulders. "You are not an imposition, Molly," he said plainly.

"But-"

"Up we go," he interrupted her and opened up the door. The detective was not giving her a choice and directed her through the threshold and helped her up the stairs and into the flat. The exertion of climbing proved to be too much after such a night and she was practically falling asleep standing up in Sherlock's living room. It was he who took off her coat and put her in his housecoat before leading her to someone's bed where he let her ponytail loose and took her shoes off. Molly was so tired that she let him and didn't even protest when he tucked her in. She only blinked her eyes open when she felt a kiss upon her forehead.

_I love you, _she thought looking at him. Her eyes fell closed again so she did not see the flurry of blinks Sherlock's eyelashes endured. There was a moment of hesitation that hung in the air but then he sat down, the bed sinking under his weight. A tentative grip came to rest on her hand and Molly curled her fingers around Sherlock's, giving a last content smile before falling asleep.

"I... love you, Molly Hooper," Sherlock said to the silent room.

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**For the record, I like Tom even though I want him out of the picture and feel kind of bad I made him the bad guy. But if in the next episode he does indeed prove to be a psychopath consider the previous sentence void. Oh hey, a plot bunny just attacked me (spoilers for The Empty Hearse, but if you are here I'm sure you've already seen it. Molly said maybe she just has a type when Sherlock says not all your boyfriends can't be sociopaths. Or something. So perhaps Sherlock and Moriarty aren't the only sociopaths she has fallen for... and since I like Sherlock in my Sherlolly fics, maybe one comes back to pay her a visit. Has that been done? I set this plot bunny free to attack you all!**

**I really hope you guys enjoyed. Any reviews and criticism are most welcome :)**


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